Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SATURDAY, October 30, 1993 TAG: 9310300176
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: C4 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: CAROLYN CLICK STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
"How many of you are sick and tired of being insulted by Don Beyer?" asked Connie Bedell, a public relations consultant from Northern Virginia. "Send them a message: The women of Virginia have brains and they are voting for Mike Farris."
Beyer, the Democratic incumbent, has angered - and apparently energized - Farris supporters in the waning days of the campaign primarily because of his television ads that link Farris to book-banning and censorship.
Farris, a constitutional lawyer and home-schooling advocate from Loudoun County, represented a Tennessee family in a celebrated case involving parents' rights to demand alternative reading materials for their children in public schools.
Among the stories in the disputed reading series were "The Wizard of Oz" and "Cinderella," books Beyer says Farris wanted to ban.
But Farris, flying in for a brief stop before dropping down in three other Virginia cities, drew cheers from the chanting, poster-waving crowd when he suggested it was "time to pull the curtain on these Wizard of Oz ads," not only for his campaign but for the success of the GOP ticket.
"You have got to help me get the truth out," said Farris, noting it was as crucial for his GOP running mates, George Allen and James Gilmore, as it was for him.
If Beyer's attacks have been brutal during the campaign, "think what he will do to George Allen for the next four years."
Evoking Allen's name suggests a subtle change in the strategy of Farris, who has been perceived as the ticket's wild card since he outmaneuvered longtime Republican activist Bobbie Kilberg for the GOP nomination.
His ties to party leaders have been tenuous at times as well, and he has acknowledged he prefers mobilizing a grass-roots army to schmoozing with party regulars.
But with Allen and Gilmore now leading in the polls, there is hope that the GOP can reclaim all three statewide offices after a 12-year drought.
Friday, with just four days to go before Election Day, he surrounded himself with party regulars who say there will be no ticket-splitting Tuesday.
Colleen B. Karmol, president of the Great Falls Republican Women's Club, disagrees with Farris on some issues, including abortion, but she said his stance on economics and his willingness to staunch the growth of government makes him an ideal candidate.
Aida Abuzayyad, a Palestinian-American and a Muslim who is outreach director for the Fairfax County Republicans, said Farris' beliefs and views have been distorted by liberals who are willing to provide rights for gays and lesbians but find "their tolerance becomes a little more selective when it comes to those who believe in God."
Peggy Dye, a Roanoke surgeon and mother of three, said she is drawn to Farris because of his views on education.
Like Farris, she believes parents ought to have the right to "opt out" of programs that are in disagreement with family or religious beliefs.
But she said he has been "maligned in the ads," and women who support him have been portrayed as hysterical.
"It's hard for people to know how to find out the truth," she said.
Beyer claims a substantial lead over Farris, but Kathy Hayden, treasurer of the Roanoke County Republicans, is hopeful he can narrow the margin by Election Day.
"I wish we had another week," she said.
Keywords:
POLITICS
by CNB